Circuit-closing key for electric lamps



(Model.)

y f J. H. GUEST.-

, CIRCUIT GLosING KEY E011 E LBGTRIG LAMPS. v 10-260,864. l .PatentedJuly 11, 1882.

N PETERS. mvmw, w n. c

l UNITED STATES y PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. GUEST, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CIRCUIT-CLOSING KEY FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iietters Patent No. 260,864, dated July11, 1882.

Application led April 24, 1882.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN H. GUEST, ofBrooklyn,inthe county of Kings and State of New York, have invented anImprovement in Circuit-Closing Keys for' Electric Lamps and otherElectric Devices, of which the following is a specification. Y

In electric lamps it is usual to employa key or circuit-closing switchfor turning on and oli the current. With these switches the metallicsurfaces are liable to become burned or. oxi- V dized and not to operatesatisfactorily.

My present invention is intended forrpreventing or lessening theaforesaid-difficulty; and it consists in combining with the metallicconductors an oscillating or partially rotary mercury-holder, which whenturned in one direction causes the mercury to flow and close the circuitand when turned inthe otherdirection to flow and break the circuit'.

The mercury-vessel has two cells, in which a globule of mercury alwaysremains in contact with each conductor, and these mercury globules .areunited by the body of the mercury when it iiows into contact with them,and they are separated from each other when the mercury iiows away fromthe conductors and globules of mercury.

The mercury, being in a' closed insulatingvessel-such as glass-isexcluded from theatmosphere, and will become oxidized but little by theelectric spark, and such oxide will not come into contact with theconductors, because the same oats upon the surface of the mercury. p Inthe drawings, Figure l is a vertical section ot' the apparatus complete.Fig. 2 is a section of the mercury-holder and the disk to which itisattached, the parts being in the position theyassume when the circuit isclosed. Fig. 3 is a similar view,with the parts in the position theyassume when the circuit is open. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the oppositeside of the disk to which the mercury-holder is secured. Fig. 5is anelevation of the plates and disk to which the circuit-wires areattached. Fig. 6 is a plan of the parts without theinclosing case; andFig. 7 represents a chandelier, and shows the position of thecircuit-closing keys.

The bulb or glass vessel c is adapted to conto be insulated from eachother.

(Model tain mercury, and the two conductors b and c pass through thematerial of' the vessel into the same, and they are hermetically sealedinto the same. They are at such distance apart as When the vessel isturned in one direction the mercury forms part of the circuit and closesthe circuit between the conductors, and when turned the other way themercury liows away from the conductors and breaks the circuit. vIn orderto Amove this mercury-vessel, I employ any suitable device. Themercury-vessel may be simply tipped first one way to close the circuitor the other way to cause the mercury to tlow away from the saidconductors and break the circuit. Usually I prefer to cement this smallglass vessel upon or into a holder ot' wood or other suitable materialin the form of a turnbutton, d, upon a pivot or stem, c, the conductorsb and c terminating in contact-blocks i o ou the turn-button that remainin contact .with the plates or springs r s, that are part of theelectric circuit, and are stationary, one leading to the light or otherworking device, the other to the dynamo or generator; or the switch andlamp may be in the multiple-arc circuit between the two main conductors.The form of this turn-button may be varied to suit the place in which'it is to be used. I prefer that it be cylindrical, and that it beplaced. on a horizontal stem, c, and applied upon the lixture or othersupport o t' the electric light iu a manner similar to the cock of agas-xture.

. There is a mercury-Gelbe', at the endof each conductor, so that. aglobule of mercury remains constantly in each of such cells, as seen inFig. 3. This prevents .the metallic wires being burned, because if thereis a spark when the circuit is broken it will be between the particlesof mercury,and if any oXide-isformed it will rise from time to time uponthe surface of the mercury and not interfere with the passage of thecurrent.

I claim as my inventionv 1. The combination, with a glass vesselcontaining mercury, of two electric conductors, b c, passing into suchvessel, a turn-button supporting such vessel and conductors, stationarycontact-surfaces, and contact-surfaces upon the turn-button,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a circuit-closing key,

IOO

Signed by me this 22.1 day of April, A. D. 1882.

J. H. GUEST.

Vi messes:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, CnAs. H. SMITH.

